With a Book
by CeliaEquus
Summary: Hermione and Percy make some not-so-tentative steps towards something that could be so much more. For Another Fun Challenge! Usual disclaimers apply, of course. Enjoy!


"With a Book"

How had it come about? Well, it had started with a book, really. In a way. You see, Hermione had been reading (as usual), and Ron was trying to convince her to come and play Quidditch (also as usual). She was giving him the usual spiel about not being able to play the sport, and did he _really_ want her to get herself killed just because _he_ felt that it was safer than reading?

"Geez, Hermione," he said. "Don't be such a wet blanket."

"I'm not a wet blanket, Ronald. I am stating my arguments in a very exacting manner. If I was being a wet blanket, I would be giving in, and risking life and limb flying about in the sky. I have told you before that the closest I would _ever_ get would be throwing the Quaffle into the air, and even that disconcerts me, with everyone flying around me to catch it."

"Well, if you didn't have such weak arms, it would go higher."

"Want to find out how weak my Stinging Hex is? I know precisely the right place to fire it so that you will have great difficulties playing Quidditch with any level of comfort."

Ron paled, and hurried away, muttering something Hermione was glad she couldn't hear. She looked at the person who was chuckling. It was Percy. A changed Percy from the one who had abandoned his family in favour of the Ministry.

Ever since that kiss with Ron during the final battle, Hermione had tried to get along with him. They had gone out on a couple of dates; but when everyone finally saw them being sociable in a romantic way, they realised how little the two actually had in common. Well, it wasn't so much that, really. It was more the fact that their 'opposites' not only didn't attract, but they were so far from being compatible that they made Harry and Draco look like a good match.

"What are you laughing at?" Hermione asked, sick of Percy's amusement, and not knowing what caused it.

"You and Ron. The twins and I are the only ones who never thought that you two could work out."

"Oh really?"

"Yes. You see, Fred and George are observant. That's why they are such good businessmen. Uh, were." Fred's death, while it was no longer so deeply mourned, was still an ever-lasting cloud over the Weasley family and their friends. "And I knew from personal experience."

"You?"

"I've dated too, you know." She blushed at his uncharacteristic smirk. "I went to Hogsmeade with a girl from the Hufflepuff Quidditch team once. She was just about as enamoured with the game as our dear Ronald is." She giggled. "And I, of course, was the polar opposite. The date was a disaster."

"What happened?" she asked.

"We never clicked. There were no accidents or embarrassments. It's just that there wasn't much conversation." She raised an eyebrow. "Not like that, Hermione. We just couldn't find enough to talk about. Of course, we weren't as close as you and Ron were. But then, you have the added disadvantage of being part of a well-established _trio_. It would be… awkward. Two of you being together. Even though Harry's with Ginny, it just doesn't _seem_ right. If you were all boys, or all girls, you wouldn't be marrying each other."

"I know. It felt expected of us, I think. Your mother would love for me to be a part of the family one day. Officially, not just the way it is now."

"The problem is," Percy said, "that if you were with someone who was too like you, then things would get boring. The only thing left would be…" He cleared his throat. "Sex."

"Oh. Yes, that's true," Hermione said. She cleared her throat, too. "Much variety can be found in it, so I believe."

"Yes."

"But love is important. Love can overcome anything else."

"That's true." He looked at her thoughtfully. "And love _should_ start with friendship…"

"And mutual interest…"

"And respect…"

"And it helps if you're friends with the family."

They stopped, seeing where this was leading. They heard someone approaching the room, and fell silent, both returning to their books.

Later that night, Percy found Hermione in the library again, where she was reading something in the low light. He crept up, and peered over her shoulder.

"If you wanted to know what it was, all you had to do was ask," she said.

"What… is that what I think it…"

"Yes." She held it up. "One of Sirius' books, care of Harry. He didn't even look at them, and gave me the task of sorting them out. I didn't realise that there was a wizarding version of the Karma Sutra."

"And… why are you reading it?"

"Well." She looked him up and down. "Just covering all the bases." She winked, and turned back to the illustrations.

Was she… making notes?

"Allow me to help you," Percy said, sitting beside her, and taking over the quill.

"You know I respect you, right?"

"Just as I respect you."

"And you've met my parents?"

He smiled. "Yes, I have."

"Good." She smiled back. "This is a good start, isn't it?"

He held out his hand. "Friends?"

She shook it, her eyes twinkling. "Friends."

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Okay. Well, this went off in a different direction than I had originally intended. Serves me right for not plotting my one-shots the way I plot my chaptered stories. Ah well. This is for Another Fun Challenge. The prompts were Hermione, Percy, and a book. I worry that they might be too similar in some ways, which is why I prefer the thought of Hermione with one of the twins, if she's to be with any Weasley. But I've read some brilliant Hermione/Percy stories.

**Just wish I could write one. Ah well.**

**Hope you enjoyed this! Please review.**


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